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The Black Book
The Black Book is the second episode of the twelfth series of the popular ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders and originally aired on 26th March 2009. Synopsis A newly discovered masterpiece by landscape artist Henry Hogson causes a stir when it is auctioned for £400,000 – just hours before its former owner is tortured and killed. When another Hogson is stolen, DCI Barnaby decides to become an expert on the Midsomer painter, with the help of art teacher Matilda Simms. He soon realises the paintings are not what they seem – but the death toll is rising. Plot DCI Barnaby and DS Jones investigate the murder of Felicity Law who had recently sold at auction a painting she found in her attic. The previously unknown work, 'Midsomer Meadow' by Henry Hogson who lived in Midsomer, went for an unbelievable £400,000 and was purchased by well-known collector George Arlington. Joyce Barnaby had worked to raise money for the local Hobson Society which wanted to purchase it but came nowhere near having the necessary amount, which didn't stop its chairperson, Patricia Blackshaw from overbidding in a desperate attempt to win the prize. After the sale, Felicity had announced that she was giving most of the money to Matilda Simms, who runs a local art school. Soon after Felicty's murder, another Hogson painting is stolen from the home of Alan Best, who was also outbid at the auction. The presence of an insurance investigator leads Barnaby to believe that art forgery is at the root of it all. Several will die however before the perpetrator is arrested. Cast *John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby *Jason Hughes as DS Ben Jones *Jane Wymark as Joyce Barnaby *Barry Jackson as Dr. George Bullard *Kirsty Dillon as WPC Gail Stephens *Ann Firbank as Felicity Law *David Bamber as Anthony Prideaux *Susannah Harker as Matilda Simms *Paul Anderson as Graham Spate *Christopher Fulford as Alan Best *Sarah Badel as Patricia Blackshaw *Paul Ridley as Neville Blackshaw *Gavan O'Herlihy as George Arlington *Charlotte Asprey as Christine Miller *Paula Jennings as Yvonne Best *Iain Mitchell as Auctioneer *Victoria Lennox as Librarian *Tim Stanmore as Security Guard *Victoria Shalet as Melony *Neville Phillips as Admirer *Chris Wilson as Police Officer (uncredited) Galleries Body Count Prior to the Episode Henry-hogson.jpg|Henry Hogson Died in 1810 from arthritis. Arnold-simms.jpg|Arnold Simms Died of natural causes. In the Episode Felicity-law.jpg|Felicity Law Tortured by having her hand held on the hotplate, then had her throat slit. Graham-spate.jpg|Graham Spate Knocked unconscious and tied to a table. He was then tortured with razor blade and finally killed by repeated blows to the head. Anthony-prideaux.jpg|Anthony Prideaux After getting up from his desk, was held from behind and had his throat slit with razor blade, then pushed on top of the desk. Supporting Cast Matilda-simms.jpg|Matilda Simms Alan-best.jpg|Alan Best Patricia-blackshaw.jpg|Patricia Blackshaw Neville-blackshaw.jpg|Neville Blackshaw George-arlington.jpg|George Arlington Christine-miller.jpg|Christine Miller Yvonne-best.jpg|Yvonne Best Auctioneer-the-black-book.jpg|Auctioneer Episode Images The-black-book-01.jpg The-black-book-02.jpg The-black-book-03.jpg The-black-book-04.jpg The-black-book-05.jpg The-black-book-06.jpg The-black-book-07.jpg Video Notes The following actors and actresses who appeared in this episode have also appeared in the following episodes *Sarah Badel - Death of a Hollow Man *Neville Phillips - Faithful unto Death, Garden of Death, Dark Autumn, Birds of Prey and Vixen's Run *Victoria Shalet - Murder on St. Malley's Day *Victoria Lennox - Things That Go Bump in the Night, Orchis Fatalis, Vixen's Run and The Silent Land *David Bamber - Dead Letters and A Dying Art Category:Series Twelve episodes